Christmas stress can get your pet down

The bustle and glitter of the holiday season can be rough on pets and their human companions need to think about how they fit into the picture, an animal expert says.

“Major holiday stress for a pet comes when you change their normal routine, such as feeding or exercise,” says Dr. Robyn Jaynes, director of veterinary services for the PetSmart chain.

“Dogs that aren’t normally aggressive can become aggressive,” Jaynes said. “Dogs or cats may stop eating or start hiding. Cats may urinate outside their litter boxes. Dogs may start chewing things in the house.”

People can be so busy during the holidays that they don’t give pets as much attention, she added.

“Make time to spend some quiet time with your pets,” Jaynes said. “Everybody needs some quiet time. Keep your pet as close to a normal routine as possible.”

Jaynes spoke last week from her Phoenix office, offering a sort of survival guide for people and their pets at Christmas.

She stressed that people should take care with decorations in homes populated with animals.

“Decorations rank first among holiday risks for pets,” Jaynes said.

Cats, for example, like to eat tinsel and ribbon, but it sticks in their intestines.

“And someone might give you a wrapped present that you put under the tree not knowing what it is. It could be chocolate, which is lethal to dogs.”

Christmas trees can present their own hazards, Jaynes said. Pets can swallow small ornaments or nibble on electric cords.

“Be careful with water at the base of the tree,” she added. “It may have chemicals in it. Or it may be stagnant and subject to bacterial growth.”

Jaynes had a bit of advice for pet gift-giving, as well.

“They like gifts they can get immediate sastisfaction from, such as chews or, if they like to carry toys around, toys,” she said.

Don’t give them human food because animals have different digestive systems.

“If you have multiple pets, give them all the same gift so they don’t fight over each others’ gifts,” Jaynes said.

A gift for a pet owner? If someone has just gotten a dog, you can give them a gift card for training. “All dogs need to be trained and socialized, ” she said.

Should pets be Christmas presents? Possibly, if the recipient was planning to get a pet anyway, Jaynes said. “Or you can always give a gift card for a pet.”

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If you love a good face licking from your pet, you’re not alone, according to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle

A study by a Kansas State University researcher, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research, found that nearly half of all dog owners share food with their dogs, and more than half allow the dog to sleep in their bed and lick them on the face, the Chronicle reported.

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Winter weather can be deadly for pets, but a few common-sense steps can prevent tragedy when the temperature plummets, a veterinarian says.

“Each year there’s some horrific story about an animal freezing to death due to neglect,” said Dr. Lesli Groshong, head veterinarian at the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. “Such incidents are infrequent but disturbing.”

Groshong’s organization is putting the word out about the potential dangers pets face during a bone-chilling stretch such as last week’s.

“Overall. people are very aware of things such as taking pets on shorter walks, giving them warm protection or access to the indoors,” she said.

But it’s easy to overlook something simple like a pet needing fresh, not frozen, water, she said.

Here are some tips from the ASPCA and the Boulder Valley humane society:

* Keep your cat inside. Outdoors, felines can freeze, become lost or be stolen, injured or killed.

* During the winter, outdoor cats have an instinctive habit of finding warmer hiding places, such as under the hoods of cars. Bang loudly on the car hood before starting the engine so they can escape.

* Never let your dog off the leash on snow or ice. During a snowstorm dogs can lose their scent and easily become lost. Make sure yours always wears ID tags.

* Wipe off your dog’s legs and stomach when it comes in out of the sleet, snow or ice. It can ingest salt, antifreeze or other potentially dangerous chemicals while licking it’s paws.

* Never shave your dog down to the skin in winter. A longer coat will provide more warmth. Consider getting a coat or sweater for short-haired breeds.

* Never leave your dog or cat alone in a car during cold weather. A car can turn into a refrigerator in cold weather.

* Puppies do not tolerate the cold as well as adult dogs. If your dog is sensitive to the cold due to age, illness or breed type, take it outdoors only to relieve itself.

* If your dog spends a lot of time in outdoor activities, increase its supply of food, particularly protein, for its health and coat.

* Antifreeze is a lethal poison for dogs and cats. Be sure to thoroughly clean up any spills from your vehicle (Antifeeze can cause renal failure.)

* Make sure your pet has a warm place to sleep, off the floor and away from all drafts.

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PET CALENDAR

Santa Claws – The Table Mountain Animal Center in Goilden will be among reciipients when “Santa Claws” poses with pets at the 32nd and Youngfield PetsMart this Saturday, Dec. 19, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. One 4×6 photo of a pet in a holiday frame with “Santa Claws” will be $9.95 with a PetPerks savings card. $5 from each framed photo will go towards a number of pet charities.

Buying with a purpose – Morris Animal Foundation in Denver is offering pet giftes that advance the health and welfare of animals worldwide, including pet ID tags, leashes and collars, wine baskets, ornaments, cards, eco-friendly clothing, quilts and pet-related gift baskets. Partners donate a percentage of sales to the foundation’s mission of funding research that protects, treats and cures dogs, cats, horses and wildlife. Visit the Morris Animal Foundation Web site, http://www.morrisanimalfoundation.org/make-a-difference/purchase-cool-products-services/, to choose from a range of gift options.

Travel and OutWest editor Kyle Wagner grew up in Pittsburgh and lived in Lake County, Ill., and Naples, Fla., before moving to Denver in 1993, where she reviewed restaurants for Westword before moving to The Denver Post in 2002. She considers the best days to be those that involve her teenage daughters and doing something outside, preferably mountain biking or whitewater rafting.

Dean Krakel is a photo editor (primarily sports) at The Denver Post. A native of Wyoming, he has authored three books, "Season of the Elk," "Downriver" and "Krakel's West." An avid kayaker, rafter, mountain biker, trail runner, telemark skier and backpacker, Dean's outdoor adventures have taken him around the world.

Douglas Brown was raised about 30 miles west of Philadelphia in West Chester, Pennsylvania, where he spent a lot of time running around in the woods and fields (where he hunted and explored), and in the ocean (where he surfed and stared at the horizon). Now he lives in Boulder and spends as much time hiking, running, skiing and boarding the High Country (and the Boulder foothills) as possible.

Ricardo Baca is the entertainment editor and pop music critic at The Denver Post, as well as the founder and executive editor of Reverb and the co-founder of The UMS. Happy days often involve at least one of these: whitewater rafting, snowshoeing, vintage Vespas, writing, camping, live music, road trips, snowboarding or four-wheeling.